Stopping the Flow of Paper Clutter

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I recently had someone question how I deal with paper clutter in my home. I’m so glad you asked!

Paper is definitely something that has the ability to accumulate quickly since it seems to come at us from all angles! Junk mail from the mailbox, flyers and forms from extracurricular activities, kids’ art and graded papers from backpacks, and even receipts or lists from your purse or desk can accumulate on countertops, refrigerators, and organization boards. It soon becomes a pile (or multiple piles) of clutter that can easily get out of control.

As a minimalist, rather than constantly “tidying up” or organizing clutter, it’s much more important to stop the flow of these items into your home before it becomes a bigger problem. We are the gatekeepers to our homes! We decide what may come in, and what must go. The same is true for paper.

Here are some tips for stopping paper in it’s tracks, before it becomes clutter:

1. Reduce the influx of paper by opting for paperless bills. It’s 2019, but many people still receive paper bills in the their mailbox. Sign up for paperless, digital bills when you can. You’ll be able to pay the bills online and eliminate unnecessary paper from entering your home.  This also includes credit card and bank statements.
2. Eliminate unwanted credit card offers. If you receive unwanted preapproved/prescreened firm offers by mail, you can actually opt out of these offers by going to this website. It does require you to enter your social security number as if you are checking your credit score, but if you receive them regularly, it could be worthwhile.
3. Better yet, just recycle BEFORE you enter your door. If #2 makes you uneasy, receiving a ton of credit card offers won’t matter when you’re tearing them up directly into the recycling bin before you even enter your home. This is actually beneficial for all unneeded papers. Have a recycling bin by the door so that after you check the mailbox, or when you’re coming in from the car after picking up kids from sports or school (they never fail to have a flyer or backpack full of papers!) you are able to toss junk papers before they can accumulate inside. We have a recycling bin that we pass on our way through the side entrance of our home. We throw away any unneeded papers before walking in, and only bring in the papers we need. I’ve been known to toss kids’ paper art projects directly into our recycling bin. #sorrynotsorry
4. Use a one in/one out rule with A+ papers and kids’ art. When our kids bring home an excellent test grade or a beautiful art project, we make sure to sing their praises! But then they get to decide if they want to replace the current masterpiece on the refrigerator, or recycle it. It’s their choice to make, but only one can stay. By allowing them to do this, we’re not only teaching them to make difficult decisions,  but also planting the seed for future minimalists. If the idea of throwing away your child’s latest treasure makes you (or your child) cringe, you can also take a photo of the special memento and keep it digitally…forever!
5. Organize the clutter where it lands.  When paper clutter does manage to infiltrate the home, watch where it tends to accumulate–THEN organize it. If you notice paper constantly piling up on a particular kitchen counter, put a small letter bin there. At the end of the day or week, go through the letter bin and make three piles: ACTIVE/PENDING, FILE, and RECYCLE. The “active” pile is for things things waiting for an action from you (a field trip permission slip, a bill that needs paid) or even something you use regularly (your child’s school lunch menu, the weekly grocery list). Take care of the active pile right away (sign the form and return it, or hang the school menu on the fridge). File the things that don’t need to be sitting around (legal documents, tax receipts). And finally, recycle anything else that is leftover (this is typically junk mail, old magazines, expired coupons, or outdated flyers). Feeling lighter yet?
6. Finally, use Evernote to turn paper clutter into easily organized digital files. Most of the time we do not need to keep originals of the papers we choose to “file” or hold onto. Keep a small file folder or lock box for the originals of important documents like living wills, licensing certificates, birth certificates, passports, upcoming paper concert tickets, etc., and then use Evernote to file the rest digitally. You can even use it for some of the reference items in the previously mentioned “active” pile, in lieu of hanging things on the refrigerator or in a family organization station. This is the perfect place for school handbooks, recipes, coupons, flyers for reference…you name it. I eliminate most of my paper clutter by recycling it or saving it to Evernote by snapping a photo and saving it as a document. Give it a try!

Even in a very digital world, paper clutter may never completely go away, but I hope these tips are helpful for you as you attempt to reduce the stress of excess in your home.

Do you have your own clutter-busting tip? Leave it in the comments! I love to hear from you!

-BethAnn

 

That Fixer Upper Life

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

So along with the #momlife and the #runnerslife, I also live a bit of that #fixerupperlife.

Three years ago we decided to trade in our cookie-cutter house among the land of McMansions for a two story 1974 colonial in an older neighborhood that needed a lot of work. (More on what led us to that decision in a future blog, I’m sure.)

But let me just tell you…buying a fixer upper sounds dreamy and exciting (and don’t get me wrong, it definitely has its moments), but for the most part HGTV is full of lies and broken promises!

What is it like living in a fixer upper with 4 young kids while you’re in the process of fixing it up? Everything you might imagine: pure chaos.

The truth is, unless you have a huge lump sum of money to flip a house before you even move in (which we did not), chances are you’re going find yourself in some less-than-ideal living situations for awhile. Whether it’s living in a space that needs serious work, or living among some dusty renovation projects…it takes awhile for the old house to transform into your shiny vision.

When we first moved in, we made a list of things that needed to be renovated and arranged them in order of priority.  We knew we had to fix the kitchen first because the tiny space didn’t flow well, and everything was original from the 70s (although it was spruced up with paint sometime in the early 90s). Everything from the cabinets to the walls to the appliances were smelly and chipping and dysfunctional. I still remember living out of boxes in the kitchen for a few weeks because I was afraid to put our things inside the cabinets…they were seriously that gross. Once I got over it, it was a common occurrence for the silverware drawer to fall out onto the floor when anyone would try to get themselves a fork. We had approximately 3 feet of counter space and we had to make sure certain lights were off when we used the microwave, toaster, or coffee pot, otherwise the entire downstairs would lose power.

So between faulty electrical wiring, tight walled-in spaces, and brown linoleum that still smelled like 1974…we pretty much laughed (and sometimes “F” bombed) our way through the first year until we saved enough money for some serious renovations. You always laugh harder in retrospect, but in the moment it can definitely be a bit stressful trying to manage your family in a space that doesn’t work.

And trees. Every time someone comes over and asks to see anything new that’s been done to the house, we just laugh, point at the yard, and say “don’t you see the difference?” Of course they don’t. But we’ve probably trimmed or cut down about 1,393,072,729,387 trees since they last visited. If you’re buying an old house, most of your life savings will go into cutting down dying trees and trimming up the ones that have seriously overgrown the entire yard.

So here we are 3 years later and we have a newly renovated kitchen, laundry room, and  two out of three bathrooms. It already feels more like home and the transformation is really amazing.  I remember seeing the house for the first time when the realtor had an open house event. I envisioned walls being taken out, family gatherings, a swing hanging from the old Hickory tree, and kids running around barefoot catching lightning bugs in the summer. That’s exactly the type of home this house as become.

So when people ask us why we decided to trade in our “American Dream” neighborhood for a smaller, smellier, sinking-foundation fixer upper…I breathe in some of the fresh air coming in through our open kitchen window, hear the giggles and screams of the kids running around in the backyard, and relish in the fact that I can look out any given window and not be looking directly into another neighbor’s eyes…then I respond “how could we not?”.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

 

New Year, Same Goals!

Photo by freestocks.org on Pexels.com

I’m always a bit conflicted when it comes to setting New Year’s resolutions. I do love the idea of a fresh new start, but I’m wary of being overly ambitious and trying to start too many new habits all at once–a mistake I’ve made many times before!

Typically my husband and I sit down together and discuss what we want for our family in the new year. Based on that conversation, we will come up with something we each hope to accomplish personally, plus a new habit we’d like to implement for our family, and another for our marriage. No matter how great of a year we’ve had, there is always room for betterment.

Last year we stuck to a promise to make time for more date nights, go on more planned family outings, and put a certain percentage of our paycheck(s) into an untouchable savings account. We spent some much needed time together kid free, and also managed to take the kids on some really fun adventures–beaches, mountains, and cities they hadn’t been to before–including a visit to Anchorage, AK. We also saved enough money to do some major renovations in this fixer-upper home of ours. I’m so grateful for the memories and progress we made in 2018!

For 2019, we’ve decided our goals from last year are perfect to carry over into the new year. After all, the best way to rock a new year’s resolution is to keep it as a habit. In addition, as a minimalist family, we hope to continue to simplify our home and our lifestyle so that we have less distraction and more focus on the important things–another ongoing life project that we continue to perfect year after year.

Some of my personal goals include getting into the habit of blogging more regularly, reading more books in lieu of evening screen time, and becoming a stronger swimmer (something that I only recently learned to do!)

So as we flip the page into this new calendar year, I hope you’ve had time to reflect on what is important in your own life, and the types of habits you can implement in order to be the very best in whatever phase of life you find yourself in.

Cheers to 2019!

Are you a resolution maker? Leave me a comment and know what you hope to accomplish this year.

-BethAnn

A Minimalist Christmas

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

This time of year, people often ask me what Christmas looks like in our house as a minimalist family.

The truth is, Christmas at our house is probably very much like Christmas anywhere else. After Thanksgiving, we love bringing out the holiday decorations and making the house festive. We decorate our tree and hang our stockings along the fireplace mantle. We pack away the fall wreath on our front door and replace it with one that is full of greenery and bright glowing lights. The holidays give us a perfect excuse to bake treats for family and friends, sing and dance along with our favorite Christmas music, and snuggle up together to watch our favorite holiday movies.

But one thing that may be a little different in our house is gift giving.  On Christmas day when the kids come running down the stairs, we don’t have a mountainous pile of gift boxes under our tree. There are only four. Yes, you read that right. Each of our kids receive one wrapped gift under the Christmas tree…just one.

We’ve had this “one gift” rule since our oldest was born, and we’ve found that Christmas morning is much less chaotic. A month or so before Christmas we ask them each to choose the one thing they’d really like Santa to bring them. Knowing they can only have one thing, they tend to take their time and be really mindful as they choose something they know will bring them the most joy.  On Christmas day, since their focus is not being divided between multiple new toys or gadgets, the gift they receive ends up getting a lot of attention. There is nothing more disheartening than watching a child open a new toy, and then quickly toss it aside because there’s another shiny box waiting to be opened. By receiving only one gift, they have the opportunity to really enjoy it without being distracted or overwhelmed.

Beyond that, there is no formal gift exchanging with our kids, (eventually they will discover that we have been “Santa” all along…but other than that, we don’t exchange any additional gifts.)  My husband and I do not exchange gifts either. In all honesty, we have joint accounts, so my money is his and vice versa. But if we need something throughout the year, we simply get it when we need it. We do not feel obligated to buy something for each other simply because of the holidays.

In lieu of gifting, we tend to focus more on annual holiday experiences that have become family traditions over the years. We decorate the Christmas tree together while singing and dancing to our favorite Christmas music. We take flashlight walks down the street after weeknight family dinners to see the neighborhood houses decorated in bright colorful lights. We drive through the light display at our local park. We decorate gingerbread houses and bake cookies and treats for our neighbors. We cut paper snowflakes to hang in our windows. At the risk of sounding cliché…being present with one another is the only present we need. It works well for us, and it helps to teach our kids the true meaning of the season. It also keeps unnecessary clutter from building up in our home, and keeps our debt at zero. I love a good twofer.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

Now I know what you’re thinking: that’s dandy, but what about gifts from OTHER relatives and friends?

You’re right…that’s another story. And it can be rather tricky! Currently, we do not participate in any obligatory gift exchanges with other relatives or friends. But that wasn’t always the case! For years (especially when the kids were little) we were bombarded with clothes and toys and household items every holiday. With every gift we received, we then felt obligated to gift something back. Often the gifts were things that we never asked for, we never needed, and wouldn’t really use.

Don’t get me wrong, people generally mean well when it comes to gift giving. They intend to show us that they care and that they love us and we are always very grateful. But the truth is, with 4 kids, the house is quickly cluttered with excess stuff (not to mention the extra mental clutter and stress that tags along with having to store and maintain the gifts). Eventually we decided enough is enough and we desired a much more simple, meaningful holiday experience. We have spent many years setting the expectations for the holidays with the hope that family and friends save their hard-earned money and not buy us anything.

Be aware though, this change in holiday tradition didn’t just happen overnight. It honestly took years of setting expectations for our extended family to hop on board. And to this day, some have not…and that’s ok too. Because you can’t force someone to accept your lifestyle. You can’t force someone to not buy you a gift.

You can, however, start a conversation. Tactfully.

Discuss what you’d like the holidays to look like and set expectations ahead of time so that the people you love understand how you feel about obligatory gifts. A good time to start doing this isn’t always in November when people are asking what you’d like for Christmas. The time is actually now. As you’re taking down your holiday décor in the new year…have a conversation with your family. Something like “As I was putting away our decorations this year it made me realize that I think I might like to try something different for next Christmas. In order to save money and make the holidays more intentional and more meaningful, rather than exchanging gifts, let’s….

• Share a meal together at a restaurant
• Exchange a homemade book of our favorite recipes
• Go see a show together
• Exchange our favorite dish
• Have a traveling dinner party
• Have a White Elephant gift exchange
• Do a book swap

If they still insist they’d like to buy you something special. Tell them instead of an “item” perhaps they can gift you something usable. There are plenty of things that make wonderful gifts that also do not take up space in your home.

Here are a list of “experience gifts” that are suitable for kids and adults alike:

• A lesson, class, or workshop (music, sports, pottery, crafting, etc.)
• A week of camp
• Tickets to a concert or sporting event
• Tickets to a local themepark
• Movie tickets
• Books or music
• Passes for rainy day activities such as bounce houses, indoor trampoline parks, etc.
• A local museum or aquarium membership.
• Pay toward something they currently use–like a month of their current gym membership, or studio passes, etc.
• Consumables–wine, homemade candy, baked goods, a homecooked meal.
• Cash or gift certificates to use toward something they are already saving towards.

Any of these things can still be printed out nicely and placed into a festive box or envelope.

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

My in-laws recently began gifting experiences to our kids for the holidays instead of swinging by Costco and filling their cart with all the latest buzzing toys. They will usually reach out to us and ask if the kids need anything first, such as new clothes or shoes to replace anything they are outgrowing, or any necessary gear for extracurricular activities. If they don’t need anything in those categories, they will ask the kids what kind of summer camps they would enjoy, or if they’d like to try a new sport or after school activity.

One year they purchased each of our children a week of summer camp. Another year they paid for a month’s worth of swim lessons. Another year they gave us money toward a family vacation we were saving up for. We love it because all of these gifts are things the kids can actually DO, or an experience we can enjoy together, instead of something that sits on a shelf. When it’s time for the kids to actually enjoy the gift later in the year, we make sure to remind them that this was a Christmas gift from their grandparents.

I know that buying, wrapping, and watching kids open electronic gadgets is FUN for grandparents…but you know what else is fun? Receiving a photo of your smiling grandchild enjoying a week at camp that you provided. And it’s so much more meaningful too!

So there you have it. A minimalist Christmas isn’t a holiday void of decorations or traditions, but rather a time to focus on being intentional with our resources and present with the people we love. These are just some of the things that work for our family, but perhaps they could work for you too! No matter what your traditions are, I hope you and your family have a magical holiday together full of love, laughter, and fun.

Have any additional ideas or comments? Leave them below. I’d love to hear from you!

-BethAnn

 

5 Easy Ways to Make De-cluttering a Daily Habit

It’s a new year and everyone often has a new set of goals. We want to redirect our focus, better ourselves, and make new habits to replace the old ones that haven’t been serving us well.

Many people have reached out to me recently for advice on simplifying and decluttering in the new year. They are tired of being overwhelmed by the stuff in their homes, and they want to have more time to spend with their loved ones doing the things they actually enjoy.

It makes sense. It’s the same feeling I had years ago when we decided to become a minimalist family. In fact, if I’m completely transparent, it’s a feeling I get from time to time when I start to lose focus. Living a simplified life is a process that requires routine maintenance.

The best approach to reducing clutter is similar to the way someone would try to lose a few extra pounds. If someone is trying to lose weight, they must typically change their diet and start an exercise routine. But once the weight is lost, if they stop exercising and go back to eating unhealthy, the progress they made will obviously start to regress. Back to square one, right?

The same principles apply to the clutter in our homes. Keeping our home clutter free is a lifestyle change. We can’t simply spend one weekend tidying up and donating a few boxes of unused items and expect to be free of clutter forever. The stuff didn’t accumulate on its own, nor did it accumulate overnight. We must start with how the stuff got there in the first place, change our habits, and embrace the journey.

No one is perfect, and sometimes clutter happens even after we make a lot of progress. It’s easy to get discouraged or overwhelmed when items start to collect again.

To help, here are 5 tips that have helped my family constantly stay on top of our anti-clutter game:

---

(1) Approach every object with a questioning attitude. You are the gatekeeper to your home. You (and only you) have the ability to decide what should be allowed in, how long it should stay, and when it must leave. Only allow things in that will truly fulfill a need or serve a worthwhile purpose. When an item no longer serves a purpose…let it go! Stuff is just stuff. Always question the items in your home and ask yourself if they are still necessary. Typically items that are duplicates, no longer fit, or are overly worn/broken are the easiest to let go of. Baby steps are still progress when you’re stepping in the right direction.

(2) Purchase mindfully. The clutter that is overwhelming us didn’t invade our homes without our permission. We made the choice to purchase it in the first place. To help eliminate clutter before it even enters your home, try not to buy items impulsively. I often give myself a grace period before buying anything new. Advertisements are only doing their job if they make us want to jump up and buy the newest version of something we already own, or something that we didn’t know we needed in the first place. When shopping, always take a list. If you find yourself reaching for something that is not on the list, write the item down and sleep on it. 90% of the time it wasn’t a need anyway. (This applies to online shopping too!) The more intentional we are when we buy things, the less likely we are to bring home something that will just have to be decluttered later.

(3) Keep a donation box somewhere in your home. In our master bedroom closet we always have a cardboard box sitting in the corner–it’s our “purgeatory box”– a place for purged items to wait until we have time to drive to a donation center (see what I did there?). Usually it’s just a diaper box or a box that I carried my recent Costco purchases home in, nothing fancy. I leave it in the closet and as I see things around the house we don’t use, I toss them into the box. That shirt I haven’t worn since last year? Into the box. The entire drawer of size 2T clothes my son just outgrew? Into the box…along with a few tears. When the box is full I either take it to a donation center or schedule a donation pickup (see #4). Items are more likely to leave your house when you have a convenient (and healthy) place to accumulate them.

(4) Routinely schedule donation pickups. Many organizations offer a free pickup service for donated goods and will even leave you a tax receipt at your door. When we first became a minimalist family, we vowed to donate 2 boxes of unused items per week until our clutter was drastically reduced. We managed to purge over 60% of our possessions in a very short period of time simply by scheduling frequent donation pickups. We knew a truck was coming on a certain date, so we had to find some things to fill the boxes. It almost became a game! Even now, we often schedule a pickup every few months since our young kids are constantly growing out of clothes. Services vary by geographical area, but some of the ones we routinely use for the DC/VA/MD area include: Lupus Foundation of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, National Children’s Center, and Special Olympics. If you live outside of these areas, a quick web search can help you find a donation pickup service near you, such as Salvation Army.

(5) Don’t store “just in case” items. This is a big one and sometimes it takes a lot of practice before you’re really good at it. One common thing I hear people say when they’re trying to declutter is “How do I know I won’t need this after I get rid of it? I should probably hold onto it just in case.” If we find ourselves using the words “just in case”…it is typically a red flag telling us to absolutely get rid of it. “Just in case” items are what hoarder’s dreams are made of! The only exception is when we’re not actually storing something just in case we need it…but for when we need it. For example, if you have some baby items that your child is outgrowing, but you know you’re planning to have another child in the future, then it’s ok to store those items. You’re not storing them “just in case”, you’re literally keeping them for an inevitable event. This also goes for some seasonal items. But when facing “just in case” items, it’s important to be honest with yourself. If you (or your husband) have a vasectomy and there is no plan to adopt a newborn…those “just in case” baby items need to go. After all, it’s just stuff.

For more tips on “just in case” items, see this quick read by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus.

---

Overall, clutter has the uncanny ability to stress us out and make us feel overwhelmed. Too much physical stuff can weigh us down and keep us from focusing on more important things like friends, family, and hobbies we enjoy. These simple habits can be the baby steps to a long-term solution to not only help you declutter, but to stay decluttered.

Are you overwhelmed with an abundance of stuff in your home? Try out a few of these tips and let me know in the comments if any of them worked for you. Or feel free to share a tip of your own!

 

 

Saying Goodbye to a Dear Friend

Olive doing her best “mommy” impression

Today we sold our triple jogging stroller on Craigslist.

I had just finished my 15 mile long run when the future owner sent me a text to let me know she was on her way. And then it hit me…this was it. I wouldn’t even have a chance to take it for one final spin. I got a little upset.

When had we last taken the triple for a run?? Had it been weeks? Months??

This whole thing started just last week when my husband took an hour out of his day to rearrange the way I haphazardly toss kids’ bikes, scooters, battery powered jeeps, strollers, etc. into the garage at the end of each day. Our garage doubles as a storage space for our outdoor play items, as well as a pretty well stocked gym. (Everyone knows garages aren’t really reaching their full potential if you actually use them to park your cars.)

When he was finished he asked me to come out and see the sparkling new organized space.

“Ohhhhh…great job! There is so much extra space to do activities!!!” I said enthusiastically twirling around like Brennan and Dale from the movie Step Brothers.

Then as I reached for the automatic garage door button, I noticed a stroller sitting out in the driveway all by itself.

Me: “Oh, you forgot the triple, I’ll help you bring it in.”

Husband: “Nope. It’s going to stay out there”.

Me: “Pssshhhh…that’s ridiculous it will get rained on.  Here, I’ll fold it up. Where should we put it?”

“No, BethAnn, ” he said. And as he stopped me, he literally put his hands on my shoulders, as if he was bracing me for an emotional blow to the gut, “Listen…”

I knew what he was about to say. His lips started moving but I couldn’t focus on his words, or even hear him for that matter, because I was staring at the stroller as if he was suggesting we sell one of our children…

I quickly interrupted him and politely brushed off his words with a slight flick of my hand. “No, no no…that’s ridiculous it’s not time to get rid of it yet. I still have so many more runs I can do with this thing!”

“BethAnn,” he said in a sweet, soft, empathetic voice, “it’s time.”

The way he was speaking to me was so different than all the other times he joked that we should sell the stroller. I always just laughed and brushed it off, and he would say “Ok…but one day the kids are really going to outgrow it”.

So here I was, standing in the entryway of our garage, staring at my husband in utter disbelief as he was seriously telling me that our triple stroller was not coming back in.

Then it started.

I couldn’t control it.

Tears.

Even in the moment, I knew how ridiculous it was that I had no control over the slow trickle of tears that started falling from my eyes. I even tried to play it off as if a piece of dust from that very stroller had made it’s way into my eye…which was rather plausible considering it had been awhile since I packed the kids in it for a joyride.

Lucy, our oldest, is going into 2nd grade and she rides her bike faster than I can run. She’s already asked if she can run our annual family Turkey Trot this year in lieu of hitching a ride.

Olive, the next in line, will be starting kindergarten. She would probably have no problem allowing someone to push her in a stroller for the rest of her life, simply because she doesn’t like to sweat. However, I’m not an enabler. She can ride her bike too.

Alice (3 years) and Gus (22 months) are still young enough to justify being companions during a stroller run. But considering we also have a double stroller in the garage…I see my husband’s point.

But I was overwhelmed with nostalgia when I stared at that lonely little stroller sitting in the driveway. We affectionately called her the “Smart Car”, mostly because they are about the same size. She didn’t quite fit on regular side walks so we always had to run in middle of the road.

Evening family runs with the “smart car”. Photo courtesy of my husband on his bike.

All the memories started to hit me. Family evening runs and bike rides. Early morning runs after waving goodbye to Lucy as the school bus pulled away. Family friendly races with enough seating for everyone. Pushing three kids through the streets while also sporting a very visible pregnant belly.

That stroller had been good to us.

Running for two, while pushing three.

But the truth is, these memories don’t live inside an object. We don’t lose these memories when the stroller goes away. Whether it’s sitting in our garage collecting dust, or being used by another family, the memories are ours to keep. They live within us, not within the red fabric of the stroller.

Our well loved stroller in all of her faded glory!

It’s selfish of me to want to hold onto an object when I don’t use it anymore simply because looking at it brings back a rush of memories. Especially when there is another family out there who will find value in it and make similar memories of their own over the next several years.

It’s selfish of me to want to push children in a stroller who are beyond stroller age simply to get a little ego boost as I run through the neighborhood, or through a local race, and listen for people to say “Holy Sh*t! You are a badass!”

Does it feel good to be a badass? Yes.

Am I less of a badass without my stroller? I suppose not.

So after wiping some tears, my husband did allow me to bring the triple stroller back into the garage that night, but only after he had physical proof that I had posted it on Craigslist. After that, it was only a matter of time. She was a beautiful beast. She would sell quickly. Triple jogging strollers are rare and hard to find…a unicorn, if you will, to a large running family.

Within 4 days she was gone.

But you know what? The best part of letting go wasn’t the extra 4 x 3 foot space we gained in our garage. The best part was watching this other family pull into our driveway in their white minivan. A mom stepped out of the car with her arms in the air and said “Yesssss!!! I’ve been searching so long for one of these, thank you!” Then a side door opened and three excited little kids hopped out. Without missing a beat, each one claimed a seat and tested out their overhead canopy.

As they packed the stroller securely into the back of their van, she smiled and assured me that they’d make great memories in it.

Of course they will. And best of all, they would breathe new life into her.

The running community is my favorite. 🙂

Farewell to our big red lady, and thanks for the memories…

Our annual family fun run on Thanksgiving.

 

Four Kids, Three Jogging Strollers: Confessions of a Strollerholic

 

My stroller collection. Photo courtesy of my 3 year old.

As a runner who is also a self-proclaimed minimalist, people are often surprised when they hear that I own three jogging strollers.

Yes, you read that right.

I own THREE jogging strollers. A single, a double, and a triple.

I know it seems excessive. In fact, my husband has been saying that for years.

I also know it seems rather anti-minimalist. But that’s ok too.

We originally purchased our single BOB stroller after the birth of our first child. I used it strictly as a piece of exercise equipment and I LOVED it. It gave me the freedom to run with a newborn so that I had one less excuse holding me back from running postpartum, and it also helped me get stronger by adding some resistance to my training. Stroller moms (and dads) know…running with a stroller definitely makes you STRONGER!

Fast forward a year later and we were already expecting our second baby. We contemplated selling our single BOB and putting the money towards the purchase of their double model, but to be completely honest…we knew we wanted to have four kids. I had a hard time parting with the single knowing that our kids would eventually outgrow the larger strollers and we would find ourselves needing to downgrade again. It wasn’t like we were keeping our first stroller “just in case” we needed it again. We would definitely need it again! We were keeping it just for when that time came.

So we became a two stroller family.

Fast forward another year…we became a three stroller family.

After having four kids over the course of five years, it’s safe to say we outgrew strollers fairly quickly. If they made a quadruple stroller, I’m pretty sure we’d have one of those too.

But each time we upgraded, I refused to part with the smaller strollers. In fact, I still found myself utilizing each them on a regular basis. There were moments when my husband and I would run races together with the kids, and we would each push a stroller since all four of them (clearly) couldn’t fit into just one. There were many times when my husband would take one or more of our kids to the store while I went for a run, so I would choose to run with our single or double stroller out of convenience. Who wants to lug around the weight of a larger stroller just to push one kid around? And once our oldest could ride a bike as quickly as I could run (pregnant) during a stroller run…you better believe I utilized the smaller strollers every chance I got!

And the truth is, to this day I still use each of them on a regular basis. Being a stroller running mama for about 7 years, I know my kids pretty well and can gauge which ones are going to be able to last the duration of my workout buckled into a seat. Sometimes it’s faster to throw them into the triple while the oldest rides her bike. Other times I can take them all to the track where I can usually get away with pushing the single stroller while the others run, or ride bikes…or quite often just run up and down the bleachers or play in the dirt. A win-win either way! I’m always glad when I don’t have to push unnecessary stroller weight, especially when accompanied by uneven weight distribution.

Bottom line…even as a minimalist, I’ve never regretted the decision to hold onto all of my strollers. I find value in each of them and they each serve a purpose regularly as I make memories running with my family.

So if you’re a growing running family being faced with the decision to upgrade your child carrying equipment, I highly suggest keeping the smaller model(s) if you have the extra storage space. Sell or donate them once your older children start outgrowing a stroller seat altogether.

Accompanied by a puddle of your very own tears. *sigh*

Rock on fellow stroller pushing moms and dads!

-BethAnn

Motherhood and Running: Re-Centering After a Marathon

The marathon is sought after by many runners as the ultimate distance goal. It’s not the longest race we can run, but it’s definitely one that comes with major bragging rights.

I remember joking with a friend after completing my first marathon that I would never do it again simply because I felt like the training took over my life. Clearly I didn’t stop at one, but this is a common complaint among marathon runners. We run anywhere from 20-50 miles per week, and our long runs can take hours out of our day. It’s no wonder people think we’re crazy. It is crazy! But also totally worth it.

As a mother of 4 young kids, running isn’t one of those things that I take for granted. It’s almost a luxury that I get to take time out of my day and do something that I enjoy.

But let’s face it, I am not an Olympian. I am simply a middle-of-the-pack recreational runner. There’s a very high probability that I will never in my life break finisher’s tape during a race, and that’s ok. It’s also ok that running will always come second to my family. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t deserve to chase after my goals.

In order to balance marathons and motherhood, I often choose to run early in the morning before the house begins to stir, late at night after tucking my kids into bed, or during daylight hours while pushing a jogging stroller. If I’m not including my kids in my workout, I’m typically running during a time of day when my absence goes unnoticed. I’m not perfect, but I do put a lot of effort into planning my training so that it doesn’t put unnecessary stress on my family.

My husband is one of my biggest supporters and a crucial reason why I can run marathons while raising little kids. I’ll never hear him complain about having to fly solo at bath time once in awhile so that I can fit in a run before dark, or having to get up early with the kids on a weekend while I finish up a long morning run…even if he’s exhausted after working an evening shift the night before.

But my kids are less forgiving.

They do notice if I’m missing as they try to crawl into my side of the bed at 5am after having a nightmare. They can also tell if I’m wearing running clothes as I tuck them in at night…in fact they make sure to tell me that they don’t want me to go anywhere even while they’re asleep. And heaven forbid I try to slip out for a quick run when my husband gets home from work. Oh the drama! Cue the crocodile tears!

Then cue the mom guilt.

As parents, there is no doubt that we love our kids with every ounce of our soul. But we all deserve an outlet that allows us a little “me time”. It is noble to want to give ourselves fully to our family, but we have to balance that by giving ourselves a little something too so that what we give our family is truly our best. Running does that for me. It’s a hobby that keeps me active and alleviates stress. It introduces me to new people, gives me an excuse to try something different, and allows me to challenge myself. And as an added bonus, I can enjoy it with my family too.

But as much as I love running…sometimes after a long training plan, it’s nice to take a little break and slow down a bit.

After completing the Rock ‘n Roll DC marathon this month, I went through the usual motions to rest and recover. I made sure to stretch, foam roll, and eat a ton of carbs. I even went to bed a little earlier to mitigate fatigue. But most of all, I found it important to try to re-center my life at home. Not only do I notice that marathon training is extremely time consuming, but so do the people I share my life with.

So I smiled a little more as I took time to lay down on the floor and stack blocks with my kids. Evening walks were paced way slower than a typical workout. I snuggled a little closer to my husband as the sun came up in lieu of lacing up my running shoes. I enjoyed simple moments with my family and soaked up all the smiles and giggles without having to think about when I was going to break away for a run. My muscles ached and I was sleepy for a few days, but my heart was full and it was so nice to take a step back from running. Not that I don’t get to enjoy these things during my training, but it’s easier to notice the little things when we have a little less to focus on.

-BethAnn